Sr. High Faith Formation Coordinator:

About Faith Formation Grades 9-12:

Faith Formation sessions for youth in grades 9-12 are held on Sunday evenings from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Faith formation sessions include prayer, community building activities, learning about our faith, discussion, and how to go forth in the wider community. The components of Youth Ministry that we focus on are advocacy, catechesis, evangelization, community life, justice and service, leadership, pastoral care, and prayer and worship. Throughout the year, the youth get a variety of learning experiences about our faith through these areas using the Total Youth Ministry and Total Catechesis program as well as Total Youth Access, a web-based program.

Registration for sessions takes place in August and early September. Sessions begin in September and continue through May. Catechist and helpers are needed for these grades.

The youth are encouraged to participate in a variety of activities, including the annual Diocesan Youth Rally held in Iowa City, various Diocesan retreats including Quest, TEC, COR, CIA, CLI, and NCYC a biennial youth conference. For more information on any of these events, contact the Sr. High Youth Director at 641-792-2050.

Faith Journey

Faith Journey is an annual, week-long service trip open to any youth in high school and adults interested. The trip consists of a variety of service projects, including but not limited to, painting, preparing and serving meals, building, cleaning, organizing, tear-down, and clean-up. Some organizations we have worked with include, the Little Sisters of the Poor, Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army, food banks, soup kitchens, orphanages, homeless shelters, and more. The group begins fundraising in the fall, and continues through the school year. The group picks a different area to serve every year.

Diocesan Retreats

Quest is an overnight retreat for freshmen & sophomores that helps you to focus on loving yourself, loving others and loving God. It’s a chance to get away from your regular routine, meet new people, talk about important issues and have fun!

Deanery Ski Trip

January 18th -Jr High and High School . Seven Oaks, Boone. Bus leaves Newton at 1 p.m. Registration – $30 includes bus trip and Admission. Due – Monday, January 12th with Liability and Waiver

Parents we need these forms:

Liability Waiver – Seven Oaks

Diocesan

Rental Form

Iowa Institute For Social Action

January 18th – 19th, Altoona. Youth will have an opportunity to interactively dive into the injustices and concerns of poverty in our world today. Free for High School youth. Speakers include Julia Dinsmore and Dr. Carolyn Woo, president of Catholic Relief Services. Julia Dinsmore is a poet, author, spoken-word artist, mother and grandmother who has given presentations for more than 25 years. Most known for her poem “My Name is not ‘Those People’,” she promotes a greater understanding and appreciation for the strengths and resiliencies of people who are marginalized by poverty or other factors in our society. If you are interested in attending, contact Renny

NCYC – National Catholic Youth Conference

The National Catholic Youth Conference is a powerful, biennial, three-day experience of prayer, community, and empowerment for Catholic teenagers (of high school age) and their adult chaperones. 2013 saw more than 23,000 youth and chaperones. The program includes keynote presentations, prayer, workshops, Mass, and opportunities to participate in reconciliation and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, as well as recreational activities, concerts, and exhibits. A key component of NCYC is the thematic park which is a blend of traditional exhibit booths with interactive areas featuring service projects, games, recreation, live musical performances, arts, and sports . We travel by motorcoach with other parishes from the Davenport Diocese. We will depart on the 19th and return the 22nd.

- Commitment Form

- Adult Chaperone Application

- Flyer

TEC

St. Mary’s, Solon February 14th – 16th TEC is for youth in grades 11 and 12; college freshmen also are welcome. It is a three-day retreat focusing on the Paschal Mystery (dying, rising and going forth to serve Christ).

COR –

Christ in Others Retreats - sophomores, juniors, and seniors. COR is a weekend full of personal reflection about family and relationships with other people in our lives. A faith-filled experience of fun and friendship.

March 13-15, 2015 at St. Joseph parish in DeWitt (registration deadline is March

March 27-29, 2015 at Holy Trinity parish in Keota (Brochure and Registration Form will soon be available.)